OCC’s McKenney receives high honor

Onondaga Community College athletic director Robert McKenney has been named 2008 AstroTurf Athletics Director of the Year for two-year colleges in the Northeast region by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. He was recognized at a ceremony held earlier this month in Dallas, Texas.

McKenney has led the athletics, fitness and intramurals programs at OCC since 1999. Under his leadership, the College’s athletics division has grown to include nine intercollegiate men’s and women’s athletic teams, including the newest team – women’s lacrosse — that launches this 2008-09 academic year.

Additionally, he was instrumental in creating the Annual Athletic Awards Banquet and the Athletics Hall of Fame. And in the winter, he has coached Jamesville-DeWitt High School’s boys basketball team to state Class A championships in 2004 and 2008.

“Bob’s dedication to athletic and academic excellence has led our outstanding student-athletes and coaches to great successes, including three national championship titles in the last three years,” said OCC president Debbie Sydow.

OCC is home to the 2006 and 2007 NJCAA undefeated national champion men’s lacrosse team and the 2008 NJCAA Division III national champion men’s tennis team.

In 2006-07, the college had 15 all-conference players, three coaches recognized as Conference Coach of the Year, 31 all-region players, three regional players of the year, one regional coach of the year, eight all-Americans, two national players of the year and one national coach of the year.

In total, OCC has had 67 all-conference, 111 all-region and 19 student-athletes earning all-American status. Additionally, more than 60 percent of Onondaga athletes go on to compete at the next level with 34 percent of those student-athletes receiving academic and/or athletic